Article: Ecosystems on the Brink
Author: Carl Zimmer
Food webs are very complex. Together, scientists have developed rules to determine whether a food web will stay stable or change. We can use this information to monitor the state of ecosystems so we can identify which ones are on the verge of collapsing. Also, it could warn us when to change our way of life if we're pushing species towards extinction. Most food webs consist of many weak links, which is when species interact occasionally, instead of a few strong links, when species interact often. Numerous weak links have been proven to be more stable than a few strong links over a long period of time. These weak links can prevent species from driving each other to extinction.
I think it's really important that we use these rules to know when we've gone too far and need to step back to prevent other species from going extinct. We as humans have done a lot of things that have harmed ecosystems, whether it's by resource exploitation or global warming or destroying habitats. Once we push ecosystems past their breaking point, it'd be extremely difficult for them to return. It's a good thing that scientists have established some rules now so we can know how big of our impact on ecosystems is.
Author: Carl Zimmer
- Carpenter and other scientists began to decipher some of the rules that determine whether a food web will stay stable or change
- Use this knowledge to monitor the state of ecosystems so they can identify which ones are about to collapse
- Could warn us when to alter our activities that are pushing species towards extinction
- Once ecosystems pass their breaking point, it's hard for them to return
- Most food webs consist of many weak links rather than a few strong ones
- Species that are strong linked interact often; species that are weak linked interact occasionally
- Numerous weak links are more stable over long term
- Weak links may prevent species from driving each other to extinction
- Top predators have control over the size of other species- even ones they weren't directly involved with
- Climate change can alter food webs
Food webs are very complex. Together, scientists have developed rules to determine whether a food web will stay stable or change. We can use this information to monitor the state of ecosystems so we can identify which ones are on the verge of collapsing. Also, it could warn us when to change our way of life if we're pushing species towards extinction. Most food webs consist of many weak links, which is when species interact occasionally, instead of a few strong links, when species interact often. Numerous weak links have been proven to be more stable than a few strong links over a long period of time. These weak links can prevent species from driving each other to extinction.
I think it's really important that we use these rules to know when we've gone too far and need to step back to prevent other species from going extinct. We as humans have done a lot of things that have harmed ecosystems, whether it's by resource exploitation or global warming or destroying habitats. Once we push ecosystems past their breaking point, it'd be extremely difficult for them to return. It's a good thing that scientists have established some rules now so we can know how big of our impact on ecosystems is.